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Jean-Luc Picard
"...the heart of an explorer, and the soul of a poet." ::- Tasha Yar (TNG: "Skin of Evil") Jean-Luc Picard was a celebrated and well-respected Starfleet officer who served during the latter half of the 24th century, best known for his service as captain of the starships ''Stargazer'', ''Enterprise''-D and its successor, the ''Enterprise''-E. In this role, he not only witnessed the major turning points of recent galactic history, but played a key role in them also, from making first contact as captain of the Federation flagship with no fewer than 27 alien species, including the Ferengi and the Borg, as well as becoming the chief contact point with the Q Continuum, to serving as arbiter choosing the former leader of the Klingon Empire, Chancellor Gowron, and exposing the Romulan Star Empire as backers of his chief rivals, later aiding an underground movement of dissidents to gain a toehold on the Romulan homeworld. He continued to serve as captain of the Enterprise-E, the sixth starship to bear the name, until at least 2379. Personnel File ]] * Serial number: SP 937-215 * Active rank: Captain * Current assignment: Commanding officer of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)]]. * Former assignments: ** Commanding officer, [[USS Stargazer|USS Stargazer (NCC-2893)]], (2333-2355) ** Commanding officer, [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)]], (2364-2371) ** Commanding Officer, [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)]], (2372-) Service record Childhood Jean-Luc Picard was born in La Barre, France on Earth on July 13, 2305. (TNG: "Conundrum") He and his brother, Robert, spent their childhood tending to their family vineyards with their father. Concerned about the preservation of their familial values, Maurice and Yvette Picard educated their sons in the ancient traditions, avoiding in particular any superfluous technologies. (TNG: "Family") As a young boy Jean-Luc watched his grandfather slowly lose his mind. (TNG: "Night Terrors") As a child, Jean-Luc dreamed of adventure and exploration. He was fond of starships, of which he liked to build models. (TNG: "Booby Trap") Moreover, he was captivated by the Phoenix, the first Human warp-capable starship, which he admired several times at the Smithsonian Institution. (Star Trek: First Contact) Like his nephew, Picard also wrote a ribbon-winning report on starships. (TNG: "Family") :Despite the character of Picard being born in France, he has a distinct British accent. In the 24th century, French is considered an archaic language, (TNG: "Code of Honor") but Picard may have spoken French with his family during childhood and he still remembers French children's songs like "Frère Jacques". (TNG: "Disaster") He also occasionally cursed "Merde" in times of stress, such as in "The Last Outpost". Academy years Jean-Luc caused "quite a stir" by leaving his family's generational vineyard and applying to Starfleet Academy. (TNG: "Family") Although he failed to gain entry on his first attempt, Picard succeeded in his second attempt in 2323. He subsequently became one of the most outstanding cadets in his class. (TNG: "Coming of Age") Picard's career at the Academy was difficult, at best – years later, Picard would credit Academy groundskeeper Boothby with helping him develop a mature attitude. (TNG: "The First Duty") Among Picard's friends at the Academy were Donald Varley, Cortin Zweller, Marta Batanides and an acquaintance called "A.F." (whom he blames for his failed semester of Organic Chemistry, and whose initials he carved into Boothby's prized elm). (TNG: "The Game", "Tapestry") :Peter David's ''Star Trek novels say another Academy classmate of Picard's was Morgan Korsmo, who was later killed fighting the Borg just before the start of the Star Trek: New Frontier novels. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers eBook series says Capt. David Gold was a upperclassman that Picard beat in the Academy marathon.'' At the Academy, Picard developed an interest in archaeology. His professor, Richard Galen, encouraged him to continue in this field, but Picard ultimately refused his offer of becoming an archaeologist. (TNG: "The Chase") Picard also excelled in sports. He won the Starfleet Academy marathon in April of 2323 on Danula II, becoming the first freshman to win the race. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"; Picard family album) During a wrestling match, he also caught a Ligonian with a reverse body lift and pinned him down in the first fourteen seconds. (TNG: "The First Duty") During his sophomore year, Picard was assigned to training on Morikin VII where he had his first encounter with Nausicaans, who had an outpost on a nearby asteroid. (TNG: "Tapestry") On April 20, 2327, Picard accepted an invitation to attend the Academy graduation ceremony in the Yuri Gagarin Hall. (Picard family album) :Star Trek Nemesis seems to suggest that Beverly Crusher knew and remembered Picard from his Academy days as being "cocky." This would be impossible, however, as Beverly was born a year after Picard entered the Academy and would only be around three years old when he graduated. However, she might just have been referring to stories she heard about him from these days. ---- Early career Shortly upon graduation in 2327, Picard's promising career nearly ended abruptly during a layover at Starbase Earhart. During a bar brawl over a rigged game of dom-jot, he was stabbed through the heart by a Nausicaan, and had to undergo emergency surgery to replace his heart. This event helped him realize how fragile life could be, and thus made him more willing to take risks and make his mark on the universe, which he only realized when Q proposed him to change this event in 2369. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare", "Tapestry") :In a scene cut from TNG: "The Measure of a Man", Admiral Nakamura recalled serving aboard the [[USS Reliant|USS ''Reliant]] during his lieutenancy with the newly assigned Ensign Picard.'' As a junior officer, Picard was the closest of friends with Walker Keel, and also became friends with Jack Crusher and his fiancé, Beverly Howard. (TNG: "Conspiracy", "Journey's End") Jean-Luc Picard demonstrated command abilities early in his career, in particular when he led an away team on Milika III to save an ambassador. This incident would later mentioned by Q as one of the crucial events forming Picard's personality. (TNG: "Tapestry") As a young lieutenant, he also assisted at Spock's wedding, where he briefly met with Sarek for the first time. (TNG: "Sarek") :The ambassador saved on Milika III may be Spock, Sarek or Spock's wife, which would explain his invitation to the wedding. However, Picard declared in the 2360s that he only met Spock and Sarek once. (TNG: "Sarek", "Unification, Part I") ---- Aboard the Stargazer ]] Picard was assigned as a flight controller aboard the [[USS Stargazer|USS Stargazer (NCC-2893)]]. In 2333, as a lieutenant commander, he assumed command of the vessel when the captain was killed on the bridge. Starfleet awarded him a promotion to the post of captain – making him one of the youngest Starfleet officers ever to attain the position. Picard remained in command of the Stargazer for twenty-two years. :It is not clear if Picard was promoted directly to captain, or if he was promoted to full commander but assigned a captain's responsibilities, before being promoted to the higher grade later. The latter seems more likely. :In accordance to naval rank tradition, one does not necessarily have to hold a captain's rank (equivalent to a full colonel in Army, Marine, and Air Force ranks) to command a vessel. Ships of the line (i.e. battleships and aircraft carriers) were commanded by ranks of captain to rear admiral. However, vessels like a submarine would be commanded by a lieutenant commander or a commander. Likewise, the [[USS Prometheus (NCC-71201)|USS ''Prometheus]] was commanded by a lieutenant commander in 2370. (DS9: "Second Sight") Thus it seems plausible that the Stargazer would be under the command of someone of lesser rank than captain.'' In 2342, Picard dated a young woman called Jenice at the Café des Artistes in Paris. However, he became afraid of a possible future relationship and posted Jenice, who later married Paul Manheim. (TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris") During the Cardassian wars, the USS Stargazer was involved in a truce offering by the Federation. After making contact with a Cardassian warship, Captain Picard lowered the ship's shields as a gesture of good will, but the Cardassian commander ignored the gesture and disabled the Stargazer's weapons and impulse engines. The Stargazer managed to regroup and flee. (TNG: "The Wounded") In 2354, Picard was on an away mission when he saved the life of one team member at the expense of another; Jack Crusher was lost in the line of duty. Picard met with Crusher's widow, Beverly, on Starbase 32 to present the body; it was one of Wesley Crusher's earliest memories. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint", "Coming of Age", "The Bonding", "Violations") of the [[USS Stargazer|USS Stargazer]]]] In 2355, the Stargazer was seriously damaged in a battle with an unknown enemy vessel, later discovered to be a Ferengi ship. Picard managed to destroy the enemy vessel using the Stargazer's warp engines in a unique tactical maneuver (later named the Picard Maneuver), but was forced to abandon the Stargazer. His actions during the battle were called into question by Starfleet prosecutor Phillipa Louvois, but he was exonerated by the inquiry board and was later awarded with the Grankite Order of Tactics (Class of Excellence) for the development of the Picard Maneuver. The encounter with the Ferengi vessel, later known as the Battle of Maxia, would come back to haunt Picard. DaiMon Bok, whose son was killed during the battle, would twice try to exact revenge on Picard. (TNG: "The Battle", "The Measure of a Man", "Bloodlines"; Picard family album from Star Trek Generations) ---- Captain of the Enterprise In 2364, Picard was assigned command of the newly-commissioned ''Galaxy''-class starship ''Enterprise'', the most prestigious captaincy in Starfleet. He commanded the ship for seven years, participating in many important missions. Among these were the defeat of the Borg invasions of 2366 and 2369, and his command of the fleet which blockaded the Klingon-Romulan border during the Klingon Civil War. Picard hand-picked most of his senior staff, such as two young officers who impressed him enough upon first meeting. Geordi La Forge once piloted his inspection tour shuttle and stayed up all night to refit an engine part Picard had made a passing comment on, and he witnessed Natasha Yar risk her life to save colonists amid a Carnelian minefield. He had also picked William T. Riker as his first officer and promoted him to commander sight unseen, impressed by the young officer's record of independence. (TNG: "The Next Phase", "Legacy", "The Pegasus") Mere months upon taking command, Picard was offered a promotion to commandant of Starfleet Academy and the rank of admiral by Admiral Gregory Quinn, but turned it down to retain command of the Enterprise. (TNG: "Coming of Age") Although Picard often heatedly defended a strict interpretation of the Prime Directive, he has broken it numerous times when he felt it was warranted. Thus, in 2364, he allowed an Edo woman to confront her "god" from space and in 2366, Picard brought a Mintakan leader aboard the Enterprise so as to undo the damage done by cultural contamination. (TNG: "Justice", "Who Watches the Watchers?") Furthermore, in 2370, the Enterprise, by hand of Dr. Nikolai Rozhenko, transported a primitive group of Boraalans aboard from the planet of Boraal II before an atmospheric dissipation rendered it uninhabitable. Although in violation of the Prime Directive, Picard ordered that the Boraalans be resettled. (TNG: "Homeward") Encounters with the Q entity Commanding the Enterprise on its first mission, Picard made first contact with a member of the Q Continuum – Q. Picard and his senior officers had to stand trial for Humanity's immaturity. To prove their worthiness as a species, Picard had to solve the "mystery of Farpoint Station". The crew of the Enterprise discovered that the inhabitants of Deneb IV, the Bandi, had captured a space-dwelling being to serve their own purpose. The Enterprise helped to free the creature, and Q, somewhat disappointed by the crew's success, retreated, though he hinted that it would not be their final encounter. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") Thus, later that year, Q created a bizarre and deadly "game" for the crew of the Enterprise, in order to demonstrate that he had given Commander Riker Q-like abilities. Ultimately, Riker rejected these new powers, and Q again disappeared. (TNG: "Hide and Q") One year later, in 2365, Q first expressed an interest in joining Picard's crew. When Picard declined, Q tried to show how much he could be of assistance by hurling the Enterprise into the path of a Borg Cube. Q was hoping to show that the Federation was entirely unprepared to meet some of the more powerful races that existed in the universe. Ultimately, Picard had to beg for Q's help in escaping from the pursuit of the Borg vessel. (TNG: "Q Who?") A fourth encounter with Q occurred in 2366, when the other members of the Continuum had stripped him of his omnipotence and immortality as punishment for his irresponsibility. He sought refuge on the Enterprise and, although Picard and the rest of the crew were initially unconvinced of the sincerity of Q's pleas, the captain agreed to provide Q temporary asylum. As the Enterprise began to suffer under Calamarain attack, however, Q resolved to end his life in order to prevent further risk to the Enterprise crew, but another member of the Q Continuum prevented Q from sacrificing himself, and restored his powers as a reward for his selfless act. (TNG: "Deja Q") Late in 2367, Q returned to the Enterprise to "properly" thank Picard for his role in helping him regain his standing in the Continuum. At the time, Picard was meeting a friend named Vash, whom he had met on Risa the year before. Q resolved to teach Picard a lesson about love and cast the captain, Vash, and the Enterprise command crew into an elaborate scenario styled by the ancient legend of Robin Hood. Q himself assumed the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Ultimately, Picard learned his lesson, and everyone was returned to the Enterprise. Intrigued by Vash, though, Q offered to take her on a journey of exploration to explore various archaeological ruins of the galaxy, and she accepted. (TNG: "QPid") In 2369, Q once again appeared aboard the Enterprise, this time to instruct Amanda Rogers, a Human female who was the child of two Q and who possessed Q powers herself. Although Q's petulant and acerbic attitude did little to ingratiate himself to Amanda, he eventually convinced her to go with him to the Continuum to learn to use her newfound abilities. (TNG: "True Q") Later that same year, Q appeared to Picard when the latter was critically injured in a Lenarian ambush. Appearing as "God", Q told Picard that he had died because of his artificial heart, and offered him the chance to return to the incident in his youth, allowing him to relive the events leading up to his near-fatal injury and change history. Although Picard was successful in changing history, he eventually realized that the event – and his previous nature as an arrogant, brash young man – was a part of his identity, and had helped mold him into the successful Starfleet officer he had become. Although he was uncertain as to whether the experience had been real or simply a vision, Picard was grateful for Q's revelation. (TNG: "Tapestry") In 2370, Q returned to the Enterprise to continue the trial against Humanity. Claiming that the seven-year-old trial had never actually ended, Q proclaimed Humanity guilty of "being inferior" and informed Picard that his race was to be destroyed. He sent Picard traveling through time to his past, present, and future, where he was presented with a temporal paradox, in the form of an eruption of anti-time in the Devron system. In this paradox, Picard himself was responsible for the creation of the anomaly, that propagated backwards in normal time (anti-time having the opposite properties of normal time), thus destroying Humanity in the past. However, in addition to sending Picard jumping through time, Q also provided Picard with hints to understanding the nature of the paradox. Ultimately, Picard determined the solution and devised a way to close the anti-time anomaly in all three time periods. Following the captain's success, Q revealed that the entire experience had been a test, aimed at determining whether Humanity was capable of expanding its horizons to understand some of the advanced concepts of the universe. Departing, Q promised to continue watching Humanity, proclaiming that "the trial never ends." (TNG: "All Good Things...") Encounters with the Borg In 2365, Q sent the Enterprise 7,000 light years into uncharted space, into the path of a Borg cube. Although the Enterprise suffered losses, it became the first ship to survive an encounter with the Borg and so managed to inform Starfleet of the existence of the Borg. (TNG: "Q Who?") One year later, in 2366, the Borg launched their first invasion of the Federation. A single cube destroyed the New Providence colony, the [[USS Lalo|USS Lalo]] and kidnapped Picard when the Enterprise attempted to intervene. Picard was partially assimilated and became a Borg drone known as Locutus of Borg (Latin for "he who has spoken", as a perfect participle). The cube proceeded towards Earth and engaged Starfleet in the Battle of Wolf 359, resulting in the destruction of 39 Federation vessels. On arrival at Earth an away team from the Enterprise successfully rescued Picard and used his connection to the Borg to implant false data in the cube, destroying it. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds") It was revealed years later that his assimilation and time spent in the Collective had a profoundly disturbing effect on Picard's life. (Star Trek: First Contact) The Enterprise again encountered the Borg in 2368 when they rescued a single drone from a crashed Borg shuttle. This drone was cut off from the collective and slowly regained an individual identity, eventually being named Hugh. Initially, the plan was drafted to use Hugh to destroy the collective in its entirety, although Dr. Beverly Crusher resisted the extermination of an entire race – even if it was the Borg. Picard eventually confronted Hugh, who immediately recognized Picard as Locutus. Picard took the role of Locutus while talking to Hugh, to simulate the authority that Hugh was used to. However, Geordi La Forge, Data, Beverly Crusher, and other members of the Enterprise crew had a profound effect on the former drone. Even Guinan, who initially wanted nothing to do with Hugh, taught him that resistance is not futile. Guinan's homeworld had been destroyed long ago by the Borg, but the fact that Guinan was still alive was proof to this assertion. When Picard reminded Hugh that "resistance is futile," Hugh informed him that it was not so. When Picard told Hugh that La Forge would be assimilated, Hugh stated that La Forge did not want to be assimilated. When Picard said that this was irrelevant, Hugh specifically said that he (and Hugh used the word I, his first use of a singular pronoun) would not assist in the assimilation of La Forge. Picard was stunned that a Borg drone would say such things. He decided that he could not send Hugh back with the file that would destroy the Borg. He offered Hugh asylum on board the Enterprise, but Hugh said that the collective would not stop looking for him until they found him. Hugh agreed to go back to the crash site, and to be taken back into the Collective, to protect the Enterprise from harm. (TNG: "I, Borg") The individuality present in Hugh spread through the ship he returned to, causing a catastrophic separation of the ship from the rest of the collective. This rogue mini-collective was unsure how to cope with its freedom and so fell under the influence of the android Lore. He persuaded them to aid his plan to conquer Earth. Using the rogue ship they attacked several outposts before being tracked down by the crew of the Enterprise-D. They destroyed the Borg ship and were able to persuade the remaining members of the mini-collective of Lore’s unreliability. The mini-collective then disappeared into space and has not been encountered since. (TNG: "Descent") There were some within Starfleet who blamed Picard for the destruction of the task force at Wolf 359. Benjamin Sisko, who was serving as first officer of the [[USS Saratoga|USS Saratoga]] at the time, lost his wife Jennifer in the attack. Picard and Sisko finally met in 2369, after the Enterprise was the first Starfleet vessel to arrive at Deep Space 9. Sisko was, at first, hostile toward Picard, but later came to forgive him. Sisko also gave Picard his letter of resignation, which Picard did not send, feeling Sisko was the right person for command of Deep Space 9. (DS9: "Emissary") In 2373, the Borg launched their second invasion of the Federation, and again the crew of the Enterprise would play a major role in their defeat. Initially, the Enterprise was not to have participated in the Battle of Sector 001, because according to Starfleet Command, Picard would bring an "unstable element into a critical situation." Seeing that the Borg were getting the best of the fleet, Picard ordered the Enterprise to Earth to assist. He was instrumental in defeating both the main invasion and an attempt by the Borg to prevent the formation of the Federation by altering history. (Star Trek: First Contact) Kamin and the Ressikan Probe In 2368, the Enterprise encountered a space probe of unknown origin, which emitted a nucleonic beam directly at Jean-Luc Picard. This led to his fainting and awakening on an unknown world where he was known as an ironworker named Kamin and was married to a woman named Eline. He later found out that he was a member of the Ressik community on a planet called Kataan. For five years, Picard clung to his life aboard the Enterprise and searched for ways to return, but eventually settled into his life as Kamin, having two children with Eline and eventually a grandchild. In the approximately 35 years Picard spent as Kamin, he learned to play the Ressikan flute, dabbled in astronomy, and analyzed soil samples from the planet, eventually confirming that Kataan was a dying world. Near the end of his life on Kataan, it was revealed to Picard that the planet Kataan had been destroyed more than 1,000 years ago, and the residents of the Ressik community had engineered the probe to share the memory and experiences of their people with someone who could then teach others about their civilization. He awoke on the Enterprise as Jean-Luc Picard once more and discovered that he had lived a lifetime in only 25 minutes. The probe was collected by the Enterprise and disassembled. A Ressikan flute was found inside the probe, which Riker then presented to Picard. (TNG: "The Inner Light") Picard considered the flute to be one of his most prized possessions. As of 2379, Picard kept the flute on his desk in his ready room aboard the ''Enterprise''-E. (TNG: "Lessons"; Star Trek Nemesis) * Recent career In 2371, the USS Enterprise-D was lost over Veridian III, with the vessel's primary hull crash landing on the planet's surface. There were no fatalities, and most of the ship's senior crew was reassigned to the USS Enterprise-E, the sixth Starfleet vessel to bear the name. Picard was installed as commanding officer, and after a one-year shakedown cruise the new Enterprise was nearly lost when the senior staff had decided to sacrifice the ship in order to save Earth's future by preventing the onboard Borg from changing history. Fortunately, the crew was able to repel the Borg's attempt without having to destroy the Enterprise. (Star Trek: First Contact) Two years later, in 2375, Picard ordered the ship to the Ba'ku homeworld in the Briar Patch when it appeared that his operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Data, had malfunctioned and assaulted members of the research team there. Picard was able to capture Data, and uncovered a plot by Admiral Matthew Dougherty and some in the Federation Council to relocate the Ba'ku against their will. Picard rebelled against Dougherty, bringing word of his actions to the public. (Star Trek: Insurrection) Picard continued in command of the Enterprise through 2379, when the ship was sent to Romulus after the coup by now-Praetor Shinzon. Shinzon was a clone of Picard created by a former Romulan government – they intended to replace the captain with a spy of their own. Following a change of government, the plan was abandoned and Shinzon was sent to Remus to die. Instead he prospered, becoming a highly successful leader during the Dominion War. Shinzon used a thalaron radiation weapon to eradicate the Romulan Senate in 2379 and had planned to do the same to Earth. He needed Picard in order to repair faults in his own genetic makeup. In a pitched battle between the Enterprise and Shinzon's flagship the Scimitar, Picard was eventually able to board the enemy ship and eliminate Shinzon. Picard's life was saved by Data, who transported his captain back to the Enterprise before sacrificing his own life to destroy the Scimitar by firing on the thalaron weapon with a hand phaser, thereby also saving the over 800 men and women aboard the Enterprise. (Star Trek Nemesis) Medical record ]] Picard always remained in excellent health thanks to a regimen carried over from his days as an athlete. Despite his captaincy of the Enterprise, he still found time for fencing, racquetball and equine sports, usually by holodeck. Nevertheless, Picard did show a tendency for overwork, avoided formal vacations, and has reported bouts of insomnia. Additionally, he usually tried to avoid his annual physicals, to great irritation of Dr. Crusher. (TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris", "Suddenly Human", "Captain's Holiday", "Allegiance") At a very young age, Jean-Luc Picard was diagnosed with Shalaft's Syndrome, a rare congenital defect that left him hypersensitive to any kind of sound. His condition was treated, but his hearing was still highly acute. As an ensign, he could sense subtleties as faint as a starship's torque sensors out of alignment by three microns. (Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek Nemesis) Picard lost his hair by the 2350s, although he was known to have had a shaved head for some time as a student at Starfleet Academy. (TNG: "Rascals", "Tapestry", "Violations", Star Trek Nemesis) :Boothby's comment in TNG: "The First Duty", in which he wonders what happened to Picard's hair, suggests that Picard did indeed have hair when they met. Both Shinzon and the photo of the younger Picard have clearly shaved heads (with visible stubble shadow). In Shinzon's case, as Tom Hardy was apparently not naturally bald, this may have been an oversight by the makeup department. Owing to a near-fatal stabbing through the heart in 2328, a cardiac device later found to be defective was implanted to save his life. The unit required replacement when it malfunctioned in 2365, overseen at Starbase 212 by Dr. Katherine Pulaski. Four years later, the unit was damaged and again replaced following a near-fatal Lenarian compressed tetryon weaponry attack. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare", "Tapestry") Following his assimilation by the Borg in 2366, Picard was formally declared dead as a casualty of war by Admiral J.P. Hanson. The ruling was rescinded six days later when Picard was recaptured by the crew of the Enterprise. Along with the physical recovery, the invasive incident took an enormous emotional toll and required several weeks of counseling. Picard underwent similar, though less lengthy recuperation following his capture and torture by Cardassians in 2369. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds", "Chain of Command, Part I") :Ronald D. Moore commented regarding Picard's assimilation: ''"I lobbied for giving Picard a permanent bionic arm, but Rick and Michael wouldn't go for it. Picard's arm is his own." http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/6952/ron63.txt'' Personal life Despite Picard being a rather private person, he maintained a good relationship with the members of his senior staff on board the Enterprise, but only joined in their weekly game of poker after seven years. (TNG: "All Good Things...") Picard held diverse intellectual interests. He had a lifelong interest in archaeology, inspired by his Academy instructor, Professor Richard Galen. He also had a deep love of literature, from the works of William Shakespeare to detective stories featuring Dixon Hill. Other subjects that enthralled Picard were physics and celestial mechanics; he kept up with the Atlantis Project on Earth through journals. He had studied semantics and kept his Latin fresh. After his experience with the Kataan probe, Picard began to play the Ressikan flute, and was good enough to perform works by Mozart. He considered the flute to be one of his most prized possessions. It represented, to him, an entire lifetime he lived in only 25 minutes. As of 2379, Picard kept the flute on his desk in his ready room aboard the Enterprise-E. His attempts at painting were less successful. (TNG: "The Chase", "Family", "The Inner Light", "A Matter of Perspective"; Star Trek Nemesis) When enjoying the comforts of home on the Enterprise, Picard drank Earl Grey tea. He delighted in fencing, horseback riding and his scale models of various Starfleet vessels. His opponents in fencing included Lieutenant Dean and Guinan, whom Picard coached in the sport. She initially lost one of their matches, and said she did not think she liked the sport. Picard replied she liked it well enough two weeks prior, when she scored him two touches. (TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris", "I, Borg") Philosophically, Picard saw life and death as more than two choices of eternal or momentary existence. In fact, he believed there was another concept yet beyond human understanding due to the marvelous complexity and the clockwork precision of the universe. In 2364, confronted by the Q entity, Picard quoted from Shakespeare: "What a piece of work is man? How noble in reason? How infinite in faculty, in form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel in apprehension, how like a god..." Upon Q's interruption that surely he did not see his own species like that, Picard answered that he saw Humankind one day becoming so. In Picard's opinion, genetic engineering with its predetermination robbed Humanity of the unknown factor that makes life worth living. (TNG: "Lonely Among Us", "Hide and Q", "The Masterpiece Society") ---- Personal relationships Family Picard claimed that he was able to trace his family's roots in western Europe back to the time of Charlemagne in the 8th century. Picard had "never been a family man", and was thus long uncomfortable with the presence of children aboard the ''Galaxy''-class Enterprise. The orphaned son of Lieutenant Marla Aster again raised his concern about the vessel's civilian family contingent, although his unease with children had dissipated since being stranded with three youths during a shipboard quantum filament crisis. His initial reaction to family was also reflected in the friction with his father and, later, his older brother over leaving the family business. Upon the sudden accidental deaths of his brother Robert and his nephew René, the issue of lineage and Picard's lack of offspring caused a sustained yet brief period of depression. (TNG: "Journey's End", "The Bonding", "Disaster", "Family"; Star Trek Generations) In 2370, DaiMon Bok threatened Jason Vigo, claiming that Jason was Picard's son. It was soon revealed that Jason was not actually Picard's son. As a parting gift, Picard gave Jason an archaeological artifact of significant sentimental value. (TNG: "Bloodlines") Romance When Ambassador Lwaxana Troi visited the Enterprise in 2365, she had just entered her Betazoid phase, and so she set her sights on several male crewmembers as potential mates, including Picard. She announced her "wedding" with William Riker on the bridge of the Enterprise shortly before moving on to Captain Picard. Following an intimate dinner with the ambassador, Picard hid himself on the holodeck in a Dixon Hill holonovel. Ambassador Troi continued to teasingly flirt with Picard during her future visits to the Enterprise. On one occasion, Picard pretended to be in love with Lwaxana in order to save the ambassador's daughter, Deanna Troi, and his first officer, Will Riker, from Ferengi captivity. Lwaxana was most impressed with his Shakespearian poetry. (TNG: "Manhunt", "Ménage à Troi") Picard also had a relationship with an "adventurer"/some-time criminal named Vash. They initially met when Picard aided her attempts to find a rare artifact. Over the course of their adventure, the two developed an intimate relationship. Vash later returned to the Enterprise as part of an archaeological advisory team, and was upset to find that Picard had not told his friends about their relationship. At the same time, Q appeared on the ship, and in return for Picard's aid in getting back to the Q realm, he created a Robin Hood fantasy world in which Picard (Robin) had to save Vash (Maid Marian). Eventually Vash and Picard parted on good terms, as she decided to travel the universe with Q. She later reappeared one last time on Deep Space 9 after being unceremoniously abandoned by her "partner" Q. In 2368, while mediating negotiations between the warring planets Krios and Valt Minor, Picard encountered Kamala, an empathic metamorph intended as a gift for Valtese Chancellor Alrik. Due to premature emergence from stasis, Kamala underwent her bonding phase before the marriage could be completed. When circumstances placed Picard and Kamala in close proximity to each other, she eventually bonded with the captain. However, having adapted to be perfectly compatible with Picard, Kamala found that her sense of duty demanded that she proceed with the marriage, rather than pursue a relationship with Picard. Picard was deeply affected by Kamala, as shown by his reaction to Ambassador Briam's inquiry about the experience. In 2369, Lt. Commander Nella Daren came aboard the Enterprise to become head of the ship's Stellar Sciences department. In her new role, she was very forthright in her requests for ship resources to support her department's studies. Soon after coming aboard, she and Picard met. A friendship quickly formed, based on their shared love for music. Daren accompanied the captain on a portable piano while he played the Ressikan flute. Their friendship soon blossomed into love. The crew reacted differently to Picard and Daren's romance: Deanna Troi was happy for Picard and gave her blessing; Beverly Crusher seemed jealous; and Riker felt that Daren was asking for special treatment because she was the captain's "girlfriend". When a firestorm threatened the Bersallis III Federation outpost, Daren suggested a plan to shield the outpost against the heat while the Enterprise evacuated the colonists. Eight crewmen lost their lives, but Daren survived. Afterwards, it became obvious to Picard and Daren that it would be extremely difficult to continue their relationship while serving on the same ship, thus Daren requested a transfer. As they said goodbye, they promised to keep seeing each other, but knew their relationship would never be the same. (TNG: "Lessons") In 2375, Picard developed a short, though intimate relationship with the Ba'ku woman Anij, while protecting her homeworld from combined Starfleet-Son'a threat. Anij, while over 300 years old, appeared a woman in her late 30s. Despite their intimacy, Picard returned to the Enterprise after the planned relocation of the Ba'ku was averted. Shortly before leaving, Picard said he had three hundred and eighteen days of vacation time coming, and that he planned on using them. (Star Trek: Insurrection) Beverly Crusher Beverly Crusher and Picard maintained a close friendship while serving on the Enterprise-D, usually sharing their morning meal together. Beverly usually tried to serve a new and exotic food, although both she and Picard preferred something simple. Their relationship stayed platonic for the most part. They considered one another close friends, and would give each other advice when dealing with difficult decisions. While Crusher was in anguish over Odan's failing health while the symbiont was in Will Riker's body, Picard gave her a hug, and assured her that he would always be her friend and be willing to help her any way he could. Crusher's anger over the treatment of Kamala led to Picard spending time with her, where he quickly learned that he was falling for the metamorph. Crusher did not know what to say, but reciprocated the emotional support he had offered the year prior. Picard tried to make Crusher realize that the deaths of Jo'Bril and later Reyga were not her fault and that she should not try to rush her investigation. Crusher was too upset and preoccupied to understand his words, and Picard was extremely disappointed when she broke the Prime Directive and performed an autopsy on Reyga. Picard knew that Crusher's odd decisions after meeting Ronin were not normal and confronted her on Caldos colony. Although Crusher initially resisted his demands for an explanation, she broke free of Ronin's influence after he attacked Picard. (TNG: "QPid", "The Perfect Mate", "The Chase", "Attached", "The Host", "Suspicions", "Sub Rosa") Early on, Crusher and Picard experienced several romantically close calls. Once was under the influence of the Psi 2000 intoxication, where Crusher flirted with Picard and attempted to seduce him on the bridge of the Enterprise. Crusher seemed hopeful for some time alone with Picard in the Dixon Hill holodeck simulation, but Picard seemed oblivious to her and invited Data and Whalen as well, much to Crusher's dismay. Commander Dexter Remmick interrogated Crusher about Captain Picard in mid-2364 and questioned her about her true feelings towards Picard. Crusher refused to answer, claiming that they were irrelevant to the operation of the ship. (TNG: "The Naked Now", "The Big Goodbye", "Coming of Age") In 2366, a duplicate of Picard replaced the captain in order to learn about Human relationships. It invited Crusher to dinner, where the two had a romantic evening including dancing. However, once the duplicate had enough information, it unceremoniously bade Crusher farewell. She teasingly held the real Picard responsible for his duplicate's actions when he was returned to the Enterprise. Several times, Crusher began to explain her true feelings to Picard, once while they were held captive on Rutia IV, and another time with Picard's duplicate in the warp bubble universe, but she was interrupted in both instances. Both also displayed some jealousy when the other found a love interest, such as Crusher with Ambassador Odan or Picard with Jenice Manheim and Lieutenant Commander Nella Daren. (TNG: "Allegiance", "The High Ground", "Remember Me", "The Host", "We'll Always Have Paris", "Lessons") in 2370]] In 2370, Picard and Crusher were taken captive on planet Kesprytt, and were linked together by psi-wave devices in order to decrease the odds of their escape. The devices transmitted their thoughts to one another, where they learned each others' most intimate secrets. Crusher stayed up one night to listen to Picard's dreams, and Picard discovered that Crusher usually always had some smart-aleck comment at the ready, although she had learned to repress the urge to say them out loud. One night, Crusher brought up Jack and feelings of guilt washed over Picard. She finally learned that he too, felt an attraction, but did not act on it out of respect for his dead friend. Once they returned to the Enterprise, Picard expressed desire to further their relationship. However, Crusher ultimately decided that she did not want to ruin their friendship or be placed in a conflict of interest, and they decided to remain mutual friends. (TNG: "Attached") In the anti-time future created by Q, Picard and Crusher were married, but had separated by 2395. Dr. Beverly Picard agreed to take Picard to the neutral zone aboard the [[USS Pasteur|USS Pasteur]], an ''Olympic''-class medical vessel of which she was in command. (TNG: "All Good Things...") :The production staff kept Crusher and Picard from a serious romantic relationship to leave the captain free for possible movie storylines, such as that in ''Star Trek: Insurrection.'' Guinan Guinan and Jean-Luc Picard shared a long-term relationship, which, according to her, went "beyond friendship and beyond family". (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds") She also once said to Geordi La Forge that she was attracted to bald men. (TNG: "Booby Trap") In return, Picard once observed Guinan to be "very selective about whom she calls a friend". (TNG: "Ensign Ro") In 2365, Data's rights as an individual were challenged when cybernetics expert Commander Bruce Maddox wanted to disassemble the android for study. Picard challenged Maddox's assessment before the local Judge Advocate General. As the hearing neared its end, Picard admitted to Guinan he feared he was losing the case. Guinan asked what Maddox gained if he would be successful in disassembling and reassembling Data. Picard responded he would possess the ability to build many more androids. He remembered Guinan's words that the decisions made today have implications for the future, and so Picard reasoned that if it would be decided that Data was indeed Starfleet property, all future androids would be also. Guinan noted there was an ancient word for that: slavery. Eventually, Picard would win Data's case by pointing out that an entire race of Datas would be used as slaves, strictly against Federation principles. (TNG: "The Measure of a Man") In 2367, Guinan played the role of cousin Gloria in one of Picard's Dixon Hill holonovels. She, however, was not much impressed with the program. (TNG: "Clues") Besides joining Picard on the holodeck, they would occasionally share a game of chess, and Guinan was also coached in fencing by Picard in 2368, begun when she considered exercise to strengthen her arm. Shortly prior to their match, the Enterprise had taken a Borg drone, now named Hugh, on board. Although Guinan initially questioned Picard's decision to have done so, she was convinced by La Forge to speak with the former drone. She could not but acknowledge this Borg was developing a personality, becoming an individual. Upon her conversation with Hugh, she convinced Picard to speak with him as well. (TNG: "I, Borg") William T. Riker When choosing a first officer prior to the launch of the Enterprise-D in 2363, Picard nearly passed over William T. Riker's record. He stopped when he saw the incident with Captain DeSoto and Riker's refusal to allow the captain to beam down. This was a major factor in Picard's selection of Riker as his first officer. He was impressed that a first officer would challenge a captain's authority out of regard for the safety of the captain and the crew. (TNG: "The Pegasus") Captain Picard was very cold towards Riker during their first meeting, and ordered the manual docking as a test of Riker's abilities. When he performed the docking with great expertise and skill, Picard formally greeted Riker, requesting that his new first officer make sure that he not allow Picard to "make an ass of himself" in front of the many children aboard the ship. One year later, Picard felt as if he had not done a good job of congratulating Riker, so he did it once more, this time making his feelings clear. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint", "The Icarus Factor") Eventually, Riker and Picard became very good friends. With the best of intentions, Riker suggested that Picard vacation at Risa in 2366, asking him to return a Horga'hn. Picard did not realize the history behind the statue and kept it with him after purchasing it for Riker, making it appear as if the captain was seeking jamaharon. (TNG: "Captain's Holiday") The only time Riker and Picard ever verbally fought in front of the Enterprise crew was in 2366 while under the influence of emotions projected by Ambassador Sarek (whom Picard greatly respected), suffering from Bendii Syndrome. (TNG: "Sarek") Picard tried to counsel Riker when he was offered command of the USS Melbourne in 2366, reminding him that the Enterprise would continue without his presence and that officers like Shelby were very much as he was before he learned the lessons necessary for command of a starship. Riker also came to Captain Picard for advice when Worf wanted his help with the hegh'bat and when he struggled with a decision involving Soren. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I", "Ethics", "The Outcast") In early 2369, members of the Enterprise crew, including Picard, were turned into 12-year-olds due to the effects of a molecular reversion field. Unfortunately, a group of Ferengi commandeered the Enterprise about that time. Believing Picard to be a child, he was confined to a classroom aboard the ship while Riker was held in the observation lounge. Picard threw a tantrum and demanded to see his "father," Riker. They pretended to be father and son in order for Picard to plant a suggestive message to Riker, requesting access to the Enterprise main computer from the classroom. Picard, along with the other affected Enterprise crew members, were able to design a plan to retake the Enterprise from the Ferengi. (TNG: "Rascals") During the Pegasus incident of 2370, Picard tried to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ship's disappearance. He ran into many dead-ends as most records had been sealed, and had to use many favors in Starfleet Command to even get a look at the findings of the board convened to investigate the loss of the Pegasus. Riker would not divulge further information under the orders of Admiral Erik Pressman, and Picard reluctantly continued the search. He made it clear to Riker that he hoped he still placed the safety of the Enterprise as his top priority, and if Picard had found this to be untrue, he would reevaluate his trust in Riker. After the crisis was resolved, Picard visited Riker in the brig and returned him to duty aboard the Enterprise, understanding of Will's mistake in the past and satisfied that he had made the correct decisions in the present. (TNG: "The Pegasus") Picard served as Riker's best man during his wedding to Deanna Troi in 2379. He gave a toast to Riker, calling him his "trusted right arm" and lamenting his loss of a fine first officer. (Star Trek Nemesis) Data From 2364 to 2371, Lt. Commander Data was appointed as head of operations and the science officer when serving onboard the Enterprise-D and head of operations from 2372-2379 on board the Enterprise-E. Data looked up to Picard as something of a father figure throughout his service under the captain asking for his advice on numerous occasions in his quest to become more human. Picard always gave Data advice whenever he could. Following Natasha Yar's death in 2364, Data was puzzled about her death, thinking not about Tasha but rather how he would feel in her absence, thinking that he missed the purpose of her memorial but Picard assured him that he understood the purpose of the memorial perfectly. (TNG: "Skin of Evil") In 2365, Data's existence was threatened when Commander Bruce Maddox wished to disassemble and study Data to gain a better understanding of how his positronic brain functioned. Data refused to submit to Maddox's procedure, finding his research flawed but Maddox claimed that Data was property of Starfleet and therefore not a sentient being and as a result had no choice other than to submit to the procedure. Captain Phillipa Louvois supported Maddox's claim and Picard intervened by challenging their reasoning, saying that Data was indeed sentient and deserved the freedom to make his own decisions. He also said that Data represented an entire race and that forcing him to submit to Maddox's procedure is tantamount to slavery - strictly against Federation law. Ultimately, Louvois sided with Picard's standpoint and agreed that Data, android or not, was indeed sentient and entitled to the same rights as any other Starfleet officer. (TNG: "The Measure of a Man") In 2367, Picard's seemingly unbreakable trust in Data was tested when Data refused to fully cooperate in an investigation into a number of events that happened within a 24-hour time span although Data claimed that the time span was only thirty seconds. Data's intransigence threatened to end his Starfleet career and even his own existence but it was later revealed that Captain Picard was himself responsible for Data's unusual behavior after an encounter with the Paxans in a T-Tauri class star system. (TNG: "Clues") During the Klingon Civil War from 2367-8, the Federation made an indirect intervention with a blockade of Starfleet vessels placed in formation to use the pioneering tachyon detection grid in an effort to expose Romulan support for the House of Duras. Picard assigned all of his senior officers positions onboard other ships except for Data. Data questioned Picard about why he was not assigned command of a vessel considering that there was a severe lack of senior officers available for the mission, wondering if he felt that his being an android made him unsuitable for command. Picard, slightly embarrassed by Data's question, assigned Data command of the [[USS Sutherland|USS Sutherland]]. During the blockade Data disobeyed direct orders from Captain Picard and was able to expose the Romulan's involvement in the Civil War. Data wished to submit himself for disciplinary action for disobeying a direct order from his superior officer but Picard praised Data for not following his orders as he believed that doing so was appropriate under the circumstances. (TNG: "Redemption, Part II") In 2369, Data refused to allow a group of exocomps to be sacrificed in order to save the lives of Captain Picard and Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, who were trapped on board the Particle Fountain Project space station, believing that they were sentient and therefore capable of making their own decisions. After agreeing to a compromise suggested by Commander Riker, the exocomps were released and able to save the lives of Picard and La Forge. Picard understood the predicament that Data was faced with as he had defended Data's sentience just a few years previously but this time the exocomps had no advocate and Data felt compelled to act on their behalf. Picard considered Data's actions to be the most "Human" decision that he had ever made. (TNG: "The Quality of Life") Later that year, following an accident in main engineering that activated a dormant program in his positronic brain, Data sought advice from several officers, including Captain Picard, on his "visions". Picard was curious why Data was studying thousands of different cultures to interpret his visions. Data said that he had no culture of his own but Picard told Data that he did have a culture – a culture of one and that its validity is no less than that of a billion. Picard suggested that Data should consider what the visions meant to him instead of what they mean to other people. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I") After a malfunctioning emotion chip fused with Data's positronic net in 2371, Data felt guilty for not saving Geordi from capture by Tolian Soran onboard the Amargosa observatory. Data was overwhelmed by emotions and requested being shut down until the chip could be removed. Although Picard felt sympathy for Data, he told him that part of having emotions is integrating them into one's life and learning to live with them and denied Data his request. (Star Trek Generations) In 2373 (when the Enterprise-E traveled back to the year 2063 on Earth), Picard and Data initially went down to the planet to observe the damage the Borg had done to Zefram Cochrane's missile complex in Montana. Down in the missile silo of the Phoenix, Picard, upon touching the missile that would make history by becoming the first Human starship traveling at warp, explained to Data that sometimes a touch can make objects more "real". Upon suspecting Borg presence aboard the Enterprise, Picard and Data transported back to the ship. Fighting off the Borg near main Engineering, Data was soon captured and brought to the Borg Queen. Instead of attempting to assimilate Data, the Queen made him physically more human by attaching human skin onto his android skeleton. When it appeared impossible to hold off the Borg any longer, Captain Picard was convinced to initiate the Enterprise's auto-destruct sequence and ordered all remaining crew to evacuate. He himself went on to Engineering to find Data and to convince the Queen, who he had encountered several years previously, to let Data go. Picard was even prepared to take Data's place at the Queen's side, willingly becoming her equal. Data, however, claimed he did not wish to go, even after the Queen ordered him away. Thus, the Queen ordered Picard's assimilation, but not before witnessing the destruction of the Phoenix by Data. Data fired a spread of quantum torpedoes but they missed by the smallest of margins, and quickly thereafter he burst a plasma coolant tank, releasing plasma coolant liquefying organic material on contact, killing the Borg. The Queen was killed but Picard survived. Helping Data standing up, Picard asked him if he was ever tempted to join the Borg's cause. Data replied that, for a fraction of a second, hinting at his kiss with the Queen, he was. He added that, for an android, that brief moment was like an eternity. (Star Trek: First Contact) to transport Captain Picard off the Scimitar, shortly before destroying Reman warship]] Following the wedding of William Riker and Deanna Troi in 2379, Data was confused by Captain Picard's mixed feelings for the couple – although the Captain was happy that Will was due to accept promotion to the rank of Captain and take command of the [[USS Titan|USS Titan]] and that his new wife was to transfer over to the Titan and take position as the ship's Counselor, Picard was somewhat saddened by their departure and tried to explain to Data that experiencing feelings of both happiness and sadness at the same time are common in these situations. At the climax of the Battle of the Bassen Rift, Data jumped across the void of space from the Enterprise-E to the Scimitar, saving Picard by using a prototype emergency transport unit but he sacrificed his own life to save the crew of the Enterprise by firing at the thalaron radiation generator and so destroying the Scimitar. Following the battle, Captain Picard held a toast with the Enterprise-E's senior officers as a tribute to their fallen comrade. (Star Trek Nemesis) Worf By 2364, Worf, ranking lieutenant junior grade, was serving on the Enterprise as a junior bridge officer under the command of Captain Picard. Upon the death of Lieutenant Yar, he was promoted to chief tactical officer and security chief. (TNG: "The Child") When the Klingon Civil War erupted in 2367, Worf resigned from Starfleet and fought on the side of Gowron against the forces of the Duras family. With the help of Picard, Worf and other Gowron supporters revealed Romulan assistance to the Duras cause. This collapsed support for the House of Duras, and Gowron won the chancellorship. Gowron restored the honor of the House of Mogh in thanks for its assistance during the war. Worf returned to Starfleet without incident. (TNG: "Redemption, Part I & II") Worf commanded the [[USS Defiant (NX-74205)|USS Defiant]] in the battle against the Borg at Sector 001, and fought the Borg temporal incursion into 2063. While Picard had called Worf a "coward" for not wanting to continue fighting the Borg aboard the Enterprise, Picard later admitted that Worf was "the bravest man" he had ever known. (Star Trek: First Contact) Appendices Miscellaneous information *Picard's command authorization code as of 2373 was "Picard-4-7-alpha-tango". (Star Trek: First Contact) *Picard was able to perform the Vulcan nerve pinch. (TNG: "Starship Mine") References in other Trek series In 2369, after Vash arrived on Deep Space 9, Miles O'Brien told Benjamin Sisko about her relationship with Picard. Sisko replied "Somehow she doesn't seem to be his type". O'Brien thought it was because Captain Picard "likes a good challenge". When Q placed Sisko in a boxing match, he was shocked after Sisko knocked him to the ground. "You hit me... Picard never hit me!" (DS9: "Q-Less") In 2372, Worf and Miles O'Brien reminisced about rescuing Picard from the Borg Collective in Quark's. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior") In her effort to look through every log entry of Starfleet captains who had contact with the Borg, Captain Kathryn Janeway cited Picard's words among others: "In their collective state, the Borg are utterly without mercy – driven by one will alone, the will to conquer. They are beyond redemption, beyond reason." (VOY: "Scorpion") In 2375, Ensign Nog mentioned Al Lorenzo having a curious interest in taking holophotos of himself sitting behind the desks of famous Starfleet captains. Usually, he would sneak into their offices, but the Dominion War made it difficult for him to get away. Among the photos in his collection included Lorenzo sitting behind the desks of such famous commanders as Robert DeSoto and Jean-Luc Picard. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River") Alternate timelines *In 2366, the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C)|USS Enterprise-C]] emerged from a temporal rift. Its disappearance from the year 2344 caused an altered timeline, where the Federation was losing a war against the Klingon Empire. Picard was still the ship's commanding officer, though more toughened due to the horrors of war. Upon Guinan's advice, Picard decided to send the Enterprise back to the past. After Captain Rachel Garrett was killed during Klingon attack, Picard allowed Richard Castillo to assume command and return the Enterprise-C to 2344. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise") *In an alternate timeline created by Q, Picard was given the chance to walk away from his fight with the Nausicaan that caused serious injury to his heart, forcing a bionic replacement to be installed. When he returned to the present, Picard was a mere lieutenant J.G. with Worf as his supervisor. This was because his near-death experience made the young Picard realise just how fragile life was and how important it could be, thus making him even more determined to make his mark in the universe and take risks. Picard would convince Q to allow him to correct the damage to his timeline and returned to his reality (although it was never confirmed whether this actually happened or if it was just a near-death hallucination). (TNG: "Tapestry") *In 2370, Lieutenant Worf encountered a quantum fissure which caused him to begin shifting between quantum realities. In several universes, Picard was still Enterprise captain, and attended a surprise birthday party for Worf, though his services were stated to be required on the bridge. In the final universe in which Worf arrived, Riker was the captain, as Picard was lost in the Borg encounter of 2367. In another reality, the Borg had invaded the Federation and the Enterprise was one of the few ships left. Worf was finally returned to his own quantum reality and the quantum fissure was sealed. (TNG: "Parallels") *In Q's anti-time present, Picard was diagnosed with Irumodic Syndrome by Dr. Crusher. This caused her to reconsider her relationship with Jean-Luc, and she reversed her earlier decision to remain just friends. These events were eradicated from the timeline following the collapse of the anomaly, and it is unknown if they transpired in the "true" timeline. In the anti-time future, Picard found himself at his family's vineyard with Geordi La Forge in the year 2395. Picard contacted Riker, now admiral and commanding officer of Starbase 247, for help in investigating the anomaly, but Riker refused to allow him passage to the Neutral Zone, thinking Picard had been affected by his Irumodic syndrome and was delusional. Later, Picard convinced his ex-wife, Beverly Picard, to take her medical ship, the ''Pasteur'' to investigate the anomaly. The Pasteur was attacked and destroyed by Klingon battleships, but the Enterprise, under command of Admiral Riker, arrived to rescue the crew and fight off the Klingons. Picard once again pleaded with Riker to return to the Devron system, but he was then sedated and returned to quarters. Armed with new information gathered from the other two timeframes, Picard woke and went to talk to Riker and the other former Enterprise officers. He convinced them that the anomaly existed, and the Enterprise returned just in time to watch it form. Riker ordered the Enterprise into the anomaly, where it used a static warp shell in concert with the other Enterprises to collapse it. After the anomaly was sealed, the timelines were erased and only Picard retained memory of those events. He told his staff of his experiences in the future, in hopes that things such as the conflict between Worf and Riker that followed Deanna Troi's death never happen. (TNG: "All Good Things...") *Picard was briefly trapped in the Nexus during a mission to stop a renegade scientist, Dr. Tolian Soran, from destroying the Veridian system. In the perfect world in the Nexus, his nephew René (who had recently died in a fire) was still alive, and he had a wife and four children. However, realizing that it wasn't real, he rejected the reality offered to him, and left the Nexus. (Star Trek Generations) * In the alternate future of the Deep Space Nine book series Millennium, Picard was captain of the Enterprise-E. He takes Ensign Nog under his wing after Nog was assigned to the Enterprise. On Stardate 52145.7, Picard attempted to intercept a Dominion warship carrying Weyoun. However, Weyoun escaped into the Pah-wraith wormhole. In 2381, the Enterprise was destroyed at the Battle of Rigel VII. According to Thomas Riker, a Starfeet hearing was called, since Picard had lost his third ship (the Stargazer, Enterprise-D, and Enterprise-E), but the case was dismissed and Picard was given command of the Enterprise-F in 2383. In 2385, Picard accepted a promotion to admiral, and William Riker was given command of the Enterprise. When Earth was destroyed by the Grigari, Picard survived. By 2399, Picard was stricken with Irumodic Syndrome, and would occasionally do such things as speak to nobody (although he claimed to be speaking to Q), or mistake other officers for his old crew (for example, he calls Nog Will and Jake Geordi]. It is implied that he married Beverly Crusher. Picard heads up a taskforce to build a travelling] starship known as the U.S.S. Phoenix to try and undo the timeline. However, the Phoenix is destroyed before it can accomplish it's mission. The entire timeline was later reset thanks to the actions of Ben Sisko. Chronology ;2305: Born in La Barre, France, on Earth ;2322: Applied to Starfleet Academy for the first time and was rejected ;2323: Admitted to Starfleet Academy, wins Starfleet Academy marathon. ;2327: Graduated Starfleet Academy and had to be implanted with an artificial heart after a fight with a Nausicaan ;2333: Assumed command of the ''Constellation''-class starship [[USS Stargazer|USS Stargazer]] (TNG: "The Battle") ;2345: Relationship with Miranda Vigo (TNG: "Bloodlines") ;2355: Participated in the Battle of Maxia against a Ferengi vessel; Picard invented a new tactical ploy to win the battle, later dubbed the "Picard Maneuver" (TNG: "The Battle") ;2364: Assumed command of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise-D]]; his first mission as captain involved contact with the Q entity (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") ;2366: Captured by the Borg and forced to become a member of the Borg collective, leading the invasion of the Federation as Locutus of Borg. This included leading the Borg victory over the Federation at the Battle of Wolf 359. Despite Borg control over him, Picard managed to relay information to the crew of the Enterprise which allowed the Borg to be defeated. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Parts I, II") ;2367: Prevented an attempt by the Romulans to take over the Klingon Empire by indirectly interfering in the Klingon Civil War (TNG: "Redemption, Parts I, II") ;2369: Discovered an ancient message left by the first humanoid beings in our galaxy (TNG: "The Chase") ;2370: Blighted the second Borg invasion of the Federation, led by individualized Borg drones under the Soong-type android Lore (TNG: "Descent, Parts I, II") ;2371: The Enterprise is destroyed over Veridian III (Star Trek: Generations) ;2372: Assigned command of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|USS Enterprise-E]] (Star Trek: First Contact) ;2373: Traveled back in time to 2063 in order to defeat an attempt by the Borg to create an alternate timeline in which the Federation is never created (Star Trek: First Contact) ;2375: Rebelled against Starfleet Admiral Dougherty in order to protect the Ba'ku (Star Trek: Insurrection) ;2379: Traveled to Romulus to meet Praetor Shinzon, a clone of himself; killed Shinzon during the battle with the Scimitar (Star Trek: Nemesis) Memorable Quotes "Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived." : - After the destruction of the Enterprise-D. "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." : - Ordering his beverage of choice from a replicator (Star Trek: The Next Generation) "There... are... '''four'... lights!" : - To Madred as Picard leaves the interrogation room (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II") " No! No! I will not sacrifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again! The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!" : - To Lily Sloane about revenge of the Borg and not losing his ship. (Star Trek: First Contact) "''Make it so!" : - Captain Picard's famous order for implementing an idea. (Star Trek: The Next Generation) "Engage." : - Another famous order (Star Trek: The Next Generation) "Number One" : - His name for first officer Riker (Star Trek: The Next Generation) "Shut up Wesley!" : - Picard to Wesley Crusher. "I am Locutus, of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life, as it has been, is over. From this time forward, you will service .. us." : - Picard after being assimilated by the Borg. Background Information Jean-Luc Picard was played by Patrick Stewart in all of the character's television and film appearances. David Tristan Birkin played Picard as a child in TNG: "Rascals", while Marcus Nash appeared as Picard as a young ensign in "Tapestry". Tom Hardy was seen as Cadet Picard in a photograph in Star Trek Nemesis; Hardy also played Picard's clone, Shinzon, in the same film. The character of Jean-Luc Picard was devised by Gene Roddenberry and named after Dr. Jean-Felix Piccard, a Swiss scientist, high-altitude balloonist, and member of a family of noted explorers. While there is no official source of the name Picard, the character makes occasional allusions to his "famous ancestors" – presumably Jean, Auguste, Jacques and Bertrand Piccard. It is also worth noting that a 'Picard' is a sixteenth and seventeenth century term for someone of an enquiring mindset (derived from the birthplace of John Calvin of Picardy or Picardie). With his interest in the development of Humanism it is likely Roddenberry knew this. Certainly it is a fitting description of Jean-Luc's character as well as his name. The original casting call sent out to agents asked for the following: ::CAPT. Julien Picard – A Caucasian man in his 50s who is very youthful and in prime physical condition. Born in Paris, his Gallic accent appears when deep emotions are triggered. He is definitely a "romantic" and believes strongly in concepts like honor and duty. Capt. Picard commands the ''Enterprise. He should have a mid-Atlantic accent, and a wonderfully rich speaking voice.'' Picard was most popular for straightening his uniform when standing up (the Picard Manuever, different from the tactical maneuver he first performed in the Stargazer), saying "Engage" after plotting a course, and "Make it so" when agreeing with someone's suggested orders. *There are a number of musical tributes to Picard, most notably DarkMateria's "Picard Song Tribute" http://tborgax.homepage.dk/audio.html and Bryan Erickson's "Futile" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IKVD/103-2727187-4719053?v=glance&n=5174&colid=&coliid=. *The character of Picard changed quite a bit from the original March, 1987 Writers/Directors guide. In that guide he was born in Paris, carries a touch of French phrasing in his speech, and pretends that France is "the only true civilization" on Earth (shades of Chekov!). Over the course of the series his character becomes more English. He enjoys the works of William Shakespeare and is never seen reading a French author. He drinks Earl Grey tea, an English beverage named after an English nobleman, and is only once seen drinking wine, a beverage which is commonplace in French life. Additionally his brother and nephew both speak with British accents. *Picard has the distinction of having on-screen dialogue with the three other Star Trek captains, the most by any other captain. Picard met with Kirk in the movie Star Trek Generations, Benjamin Sisko in the DS9 pilot, "Emissary", and Kathryn Janeway in the movie Star Trek Nemesis. External Links * Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc de:Jean-Luc Picard es:Jean-Luc Picard fr:Jean-Luc Picard nl:Jean-Luc Picard pl:Jean-Luc Picard sv:Jean-Luc Picard